MONDAY, July 20, 2015 – Men who experience impotence may face twice the risk of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes compared to men without such sexual problems, a new study suggests. "This effect was more significant among middle-aged men 40 to 59 years old," said lead researcher Dr. Sean Skeldon, a resident in family medicine at the University of Toronto in Canada. "The probability of having undiagnosed diabetes increased from one in 50 in men without erectile dysfunction, to one in 10 in men with erectile dysfunction," Skeldon said. It's important to note this study only found a link between impotence and type 2 diabetes. It didn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship between the health issues. The report was published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. For the study, Skeldon's team collected data on more than 4,500 men 20 and older who took part in the U.S. ... Read more

TUESDAY, June 23, 2015 – Could impotence drugs like Viagra, Cialis or Levitra raise a man's odds for melanoma skin cancer? A new review of data involving over 20,000 men does find a slightly higher risk of the disease in men who took erectile dysfunction drugs versus those who didn't. However, the researchers believe the bump in risk is tied to lifestyle factors that men who take impotence medications indulge in – such as tanning – rather than the pills themselves. "The bottom-line is that we found no evidence of a causal relationship between any type of erectile dysfunction drug and an increased risk for either melanoma or basal cell carcinoma," said study lead researcher Dr. Stacy Loeb, a urologist with NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. The study, which received no funding from the pharmaceutical industry, is published in the June 23 issue of the Journal of the American ... Read more

THURSDAY, June 18, 2015 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with international partners, moved this week against more than 1,050 websites that sell potentially dangerous counterfeit medicines and medical devices, the agency said Thursday. Illegal medicines and medical devices were seized worldwide, and warnings were sent to the operators of offending websites, the FDA said in a news release. "Our efforts to protect the health of American patients by preventing the online sale of potentially dangerous illegal medical products will not cease," said George Karavetsos, director of the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations. Counterfeit prescription drugs that claim to be generic versions of brand-name drugs that are sold illegally on the websites include generic Nolvadex, generic Meridia, generic Valium, generic Truvada and generic Advair Diskus, according to the FDA. Mail ... Read more

THURSDAY, May 21, 2015 – Coffee perks millions of Americans up each morning, and a new study finds it might help keep men's sex lives percolating, too. The study, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, found that men who consume more caffeine each day had a lower risk of erectile dysfunction. The exception? Men with diabetes – for them, extra caffeine didn't lower their odds for impotence, the researchers said. "Even though we saw a reduction in the prevalence of erectile dysfunction with men who were obese, overweight and hypertensive, that was not true of men with diabetes. Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for erectile dysfunction, so this was not surprising," lead author Dr. David Lopez, assistant professor at UTHealth School of Public Health, said in a university news release. The study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, but one expert said the ... Read more

FRIDAY, May 8, 2015 – Despite what many may think, getting a little more active between the sheets isn't a path to more happiness, a new study suggests. The study from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh included 128 married, heterosexual couples, aged 35 to 65. All were randomly assigned to either double the amount of sex they had each week or to have their usual amount of sex. Researchers then tracked the couples' happiness over three months using online questionnaires. According to the researchers, people who had more sex were not happier than those who had their usual amount of sex. Instead, the study found, the couples who had more sex actually had a small decrease in happiness. Delving deeper, the team found that one reason why simply having more sex did not make couples happier was because it seemed tied to a drop in their desire for, and enjoyment of, sex. It wasn't that ... Read more

THURSDAY, April 23, 2015 – Popping a little blue pill doesn't guarantee that an older man will be happy with his sex life, British researchers report. Men who take drugs like Viagra and Cialis continue to express more concern and dissatisfaction with their overall sex life, compared with men who don't suffer from erectile dysfunction, according to results of a survey conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester. These men also are more likely to worry about their erections, orgasms, level of sexual desire and frequency of sexual activity, said David Lee, a research fellow on aging at the university's School of Social Sciences. "Their sexual function improved, but these men weren't reporting that they were any happier with their sexual relations with their partner," Lee said. Men taking Viagra-type drugs also were more sexually active and more frequently engaged in sexual ... Read more

MONDAY, March 23, 2015 – Up and at 'em, guys. Exercise might boost your sex life, a new study suggests. Nearly 300 men provided information about their physical activity levels and their ability to have erections and orgasms, the quality and frequency of erections, and their overall sexual function. Men who exercised the most – as measured by what's known as metabolic equivalents (METS) – had higher sexual function scores, regardless of race, according to the findings published in the March issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Specifically, better sex was reported by those who engaged in the equivalent of two hours of strenuous exercise, 3.5 hours of moderate exercise, or six hours of light exercise a week, the researchers said. Men who exercised less had lower sexual function scores. Other factors associated with lower sexual function included diabetes, older age, past or ... Read more

FRIDAY, March 13, 2015 – Experts have long assumed that as a man's testosterone level declines, so does his sex life. But a new study suggests the reverse may be true. "Most people in or out of medicine assume that a lowered serum testosterone may cause reduced sexual activity. But our study questions, if not fully refutes, that assumption and suggests it is the other way around," said Dr. David Handelsman, a researcher at the University of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. And skyrocketing sales of testosterone supplements are being fueled by that popular assumption, even though it might not be correct, Handelsman added. But one doctor not involved with the study questioned the finding, noting that other lifestyle factors might be affecting testosterone levels as men age. And the study wasn't designed to take those factors into account. In the study, the researchers evaluated ... Read more

TUESDAY, Nov. 18, 2014 – Early stage vascular disease may lead to impotence for men later in life, a new study says. "Erectile function can be a window into men's cardiovascular and overall health. Erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease commonly coexist," lead author David Feldman, a research assistant at Johns Hopkins University's Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, said in an American Heart Association news release. The study, to be presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Chicago, included more than 1,800 men without heart disease who were tracked for more than nine years. "We looked at which measurement of early vascular disease was the best predictor for erectile dysfunction. We also looked at whether those men with multiple abnormalities, such as increased plaque in addition to arterial stiffness and dysfunction, were more likely to ... Read more

TUESDAY, April 22, 2014 – A new study reminds men with erectile dysfunction that there's help out there that doesn't require a prescription: diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes. Losing weight, eating better, getting more active, drinking less alcohol and getting better sleep can all help reverse problems that contribute to impotence, according to a new study published recently in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Erectile dysfunction and low sexual desire is often linked to the development of heart disease. The researchers discovered that a large proportion of men were able to naturally overcome erectile dysfunction with heart-healthy changes – no pharmaceutical help necessary. What's more, focusing on lifestyle change helps ensure an overall healthier and longer life, the researchers added. While one of the biggest factors contributing to impotence is advancing age, other ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, May 15 – If you're a man, the pain-killing medications known as opioids may do more than relieve pain – they may also put a damper on your sex life. A new study found that men who were prescribed medications for erectile dysfunction or low testosterone levels were more likely to be taking opioid (narcotic) medications for chronic back pain. "People who have persistent pain problems need to know that a potential side effect of long-term opioid use may be erectile dysfunction," said lead study author Dr. Richard Deyo, a clinical investigator for the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore. "This is not a well-known potential side effect among patients, and it should be considered when thinking about treatment." Deyo also noted, however, that "the nature of this study as an observational study limits our ability to make a causal [cause-and-effect] ... Read more

ISSUE: BeaMonstar Products notified the public that it is recalling its SexVoltz, Velextra, and Amerect capsules to the retail level. Laboratory analysis conducted by the FDA on SexVoltz and Velextra has determined these products contain undeclared tadalafil. Amerect is voluntarily recalled because it has the potential to contain undeclared tadalafil. Tadalafil is an FDA-Approved drug used to treat male erectile dysfunction (ED), making the products unapproved new drugs. This undeclared active ingredient poses a threat to consumers because tadalafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. SexVoltz SKU’s 626570609490, 827912089028, 626570617877, 626570615316 Velextra SKU’s 626570619475, 626 ... Read more

ISSUE: FDA is advising consumers not to purchase or use “Bullet Proof,” a product promoted and sold for sexual enhancement on various websites and in some retail stores. FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that “Bullet Proof” contains tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis, an FDA-approved prescription drug for Erectile Dysfunction (ED). This undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. BACKGROUND: These products are typically promoted for sexual enhancement, weight loss, and body building, and are often represented as being “all natural.” RECOMMENDATION: Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away. Consumers who have experienced any negative side eff ... Read more

ISSUE: Chang Kwung announced today that it is conducting a voluntary nationwide recall of the company’s dietary supplements sold under the brand name Lightning Rod (500 mg per capsule packaged in 3-count, UPC 6 89076 20257 2 and 12-count bottles, UPC 6 89076 20297 8), because FDA testing found the Lightning Rod Capsules to contain an analogue of Sildenafil. Sildenafil is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved drug used for the treatment of male Erectile Dysfunction (ED), making Lightning Rod Capsules an unapproved new drug. The active drug ingredient is not listed on the label for this product. Use of this product may pose a threat to consumers because the analogue may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often t ... Read more

MONDAY, May 6 – Never mind the commercials with men talking freely to their doctor about their erectile dysfunction, taking a prescription for treatment to the pharmacy and settling in for a romantic evening. Despite a wide range of treatment options, most men with erectile dysfunction (ED) don't get treated, according to a new study. "ED treatments, overall, are underutilized," said Dr. Brian Helfand, an assistant clinical professor of urology at Northshore University Health System and the University of Chicago. "Only 25 percent of men are actually treated." Helfand led the study, which looked at the medical records of more than 6 million men with an ED diagnosis. He is due to present his findings Monday at the American Urological Association annual meeting, in San Diego. The study was funded by the Havana Day Dreamers Foundation (which promotes men's health), the Goldstein Fund in ... Read more